Solar house lights way to future

Claire Young, Calgary Herald11.09.2012

The front exterior of the Discovery 5 home by Avalon Master Builder in Altadore in Calgary. The house is a net-zero home, which means it generates at least as much electricity — through things such as solar panels — as it consumes from the traditional electrical grid over the course of a year (click on the photo for our 10-picture tour).Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

Workers install solar panels on top of the Discovery 5 home by Avalon Master Builder in Altadore in Calgary. The house features a green roof to help retain storm water, reduce heat and improve air quality. Besides being a net-zero energy home, the Discovery 5 uses rainwater to launder clothes.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

Susan and Chris Williams live in the Discovery 5 house by Avalon Master Builder in Altadore in Calgary. They are standing in front of the home's living wall, which aims to promote better air quality within the house. Chris is the general manager of Avalon Master Builder and the Discovery 5 was built on the site of his grandfather's former home.Claire Young
/ Calgary Herald

The dining room and kitchen are next to the living wall in the Discovery 5 by Avalon Master Builder in Altadore in Calgary.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

The modern kitchen features energy-efficient appliances in the Discovery 5 home by Avalon Master Builder in Altadore in Calgary.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

In order to save energy, the solar chimney behind the stairwell wall in the Discovery 5 house by Avalon Master Builder passively pre-heats cold water from the City of Calgary's water system before it enters the hot water tank for heating. Even the floors in the home are sustainable; they were crafted by owners Chris and Susan Williams from wood salvaged from a renovation at Talisman Centre in Calgary.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

The half-bath in the Discovery 5 home by Avalon Master Builder.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

The master bedroom in Discovery 5 home by Avalon Master Builder has large windows near a balcony to capture the surrounding views. Electric baseboard heaters individualize the temperatures of the bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper level of the house.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

The master ensuite in the Discovery 5 home by Avalon Master Builder. Electric baseboard heaters individualize the temperatures in the bathrooms and bedrooms on the upper level.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

The rear exterior of the Discovery 5 home by Avalon Master Builder. Upstairs is the master bedroom, which is above a deck. The net-zero house cost about $850,000, while the infill home next door by Avalon Master Builder is worth about $650,000. However, the builder has made a commitment to eventually construct all its homes as net-zero energy models at no extra cost to the homebuyer.Photo
/ Avalon Master Builder

From a glance at the outside, the two Altadore infills look like a matched pair — both two-storey, modern houses with stonework, stucco and Hardie Board siding.

But a closer look at the one on the left reveals significant differences from the beautiful home on the right.

Built in co-operation with Avalon Master Builder, SAIT Polytechnic and the Holmes Approved Homes program, the Discovery 5 house is Avalon’s fifth green research home and third completely net-zero home.

Such houses are designed to produce as much energy as they consume in a year.

The Discovery 5 also includes a water collection and filtration system to reduce reliance on the municipal water system.

Homeowner Chris Williams is passionate about the details.

“Our energy bill in August was a $185 credit for electricity,” says Williams, general manager of Avalon Homes.

“We used 45,000 litres of rainwater in laundering clothes this summer. That kind of stuff I find exciting.

“In July, August and September, there weren’t many days that we weren’t making two to three times the electricity we were using.

“Just with LED lighting and really energy-efficient appliances, our basic house loads are really low. It’s fun to log in remotely from the office and see that I’m generating six kilowatts of electricity and using one kilowatt.”

Williams and his wife, Susan, moved into the 1,817-square-foot, two-bedroom home in February.

They are opening their doors to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, and Sunday, Nov. 11, to showcase the technologies.

The Discovery series of homes was not only created to test various green technologies, the company’s long-term vision is to build all Avalon homes as net-zero homes at no additional cost to buyers.

The home features a green roof to help retain storm water, reduce heat and improve air quality.

Raw rainwater is collected, pre-filtered and stored in a large cistern under the back deck. The water is further filtered and cleaned for use in toilets and laundry.

Solar energy is collected through a 10-kilowatt solar panel system on the roof and garage, with excess electricity fed back to the traditional utility grid.

While this particular home is not optimally oriented for maximal solar collection, it tests the efficiencies of different types of installation of solar panels — from lying flat on the roof to being held in a specific position on a rack.

Keeping the dining nook fresh is a living wall, which consists of a green patch of plants carpeting a wall. Williams is excited about being able to water it remotely from an app on his cellphone.

Radiant in-floor heating warms the concrete floors in the basement and main floor, while electric baseboard heaters individualize the temperature of the bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper level.

A solar chimney absorbs heat from the west-setting sun, as well as preheating cold city water before it reaches the domestic hot water tank to reduce energy consumption.

The main entrance features floor-to-ceiling closets, maximizing storage space. A small sitting room that functions as an office makes use of the front window.

The kitchen features energy-efficient stainless-steel appliances, with a glass backsplash, dark cabinets and a large quartz-topped island with a dual undermount sink.

The floors are exposed, polished concrete. Glass walls separate the stairwell, creating sightlines and a sense of space.

The great room features sliding glass doors to the back deck, and a fireplace with wooden mantle made from a truss from the original garage.

Upstairs, the spacious master bedroom opens through sliding glass doors onto a width of grass that feeds into the water system.

The ensuite has a large rectangular soaker tub, separate shower and a long, dual vanity. A walk-in closet completes the master suite.

A laundry room is off the main hall, as is the main four-piece bathroom and a secondary bedroom. Light spills in from the skylights above the stairwell, making the hardwood floors — crafted from wood salvaged from a Talisman Centre renovation — glow.

The Discovery 5 home is worth about $850,000, while the infill next door by Avalon Master Builder, which is more of a standard home, is worth $650,000, says CEO and president Ryan Scott.

The site of the Discovery 5 has a personal connection to Williams because it was the location of his family’s home.

Built by his grandfather in the 1950s, his father and aunts grew up in it. Williams sold the original house, which was moved to another location, and the land was subdivided to make room for the two infills.

To remove the old house, two trees in the front yard had to be cut down. The elm and birch were milled into planks on site and dried in a solar kiln.

“The main use for the wood will be as stair treads. The second use will be to finish the basement,” says Williams.

Central to the basement’s decor will be a 14-foot runabout boat that Williams’ father and grandfather built together in the 1960s.

Just before the house was moved from SAIT, the boat was lowered into the basement, after which the house was craned on top.

The boat has a beautiful piece of mahogany over the bow that Williams wants to showcase when the basement is finished. “It’s going to be the upper cabinet of the bar,” he says.

The bottom of the boat will be flat on the wall, with the area where people used to sit in the boat consisting of glass shelves, he says.

These touches are what make this home feel connected to its roots. “The energy-efficiency side is cool, but my family comes in and can look at all those things that are from the original property and it’s a pretty amazing feeling,” says Williams.

The Holmes Approved Homes program is being led by TV celebrity renovator Mike Holmes.

Through eight site inspections during construction, it ensures certain building standards are met, including foundation wrap to prevent moisture from coming in contact with the concrete, and insulation to a level that ensures soundproofing as well as a warm, comfortable home.

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